Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1887-03-05
IRISH ON IRRIGATION.

Col. c. w. Irish is OF the opinion that aid
should be asked Of the General Government
to undertake the great work Of making an
agricultural and manufacturing State OF
Nevada. He has evidently made quite a
study of the irrigation question, for in his
address, delivered be fore the Joint Committee
on irrigation, at Carson, he advances some
good ideas and makes many sensible sug
gestions. In the FIRST place he suggests that
. survey of the entire State be made. so that
some definite plan Of operation can be de-
cided upon. He states that there are about
5000 miles Of mouats,n ranges to explore,
and estimates that to do this and make the
survey it will cost from $50, COO to $4,000.
Further he states that from such information
as he can gather, to build dams averaging 80
feet in height, it will cost not far from IS, 500
per mile, and also makes tbs following. sug-
gestions:
"Let us ask that the engineers Of the War
Department be authorized to make the nee
essary surveys and plans, the latter to be sub.
mit,ed to the Governor and such board to act
with him as is thought proper. Upon the
adoption Of plan Of construction let Con.
gress provide for carrying j, out in the same
manner that the improvement of harbors,
lakes and rivers is provided for. 1t is not
out of reason that we should ask the Gener.
oil Government, through our representatives
in Congress, to undertake the Improvement
Of our natural resources any more than for
other regions to ask that river channels be
made good, or water power be furnished to
the milling interest, as is done in Minneapo
lis by the Government. 1t is adding as
much strength to the nation to build up ow
resources as it is to construct indestructible
beds for rivers or build breakwaters for hag-
bors which were left in an incomplete state
by nature in other more favored regions than
ours"
He evidently does. dot believe that the
sinking Of artesian wells will furnish water
enough TO do any amount Of itrigating, but
rather believes that they should be sunk for
the purpose Of small uses, so that all other
waters could be used for irrigating. In
speaking OF artesian wells he says:
"The general shape OF the surface, to
gether with the arrangement Of 4he strata
beneath, have much to do with the prospect
Of finding water under the surface Of the
earth, or, if found, with power to ascend
to the surface and flow out freely over it. A
trough.like, or bowl.shaped valley, with a
range Of mountains or other elevated country
for rim, together with mostly level ar
rangement of water. tight strata throughout
its central parts, but with the edges of such
strata upturned and overlapping the sides Of
the mountains or other efevations.at its cir
conference, is almost certain to retain a
goodly store Of water at the deeper levels Of
the valley, and to have the power of project.
ing it with more or less force above the sur
face, if it is reached by boring through the
water-tight strata in the central parts Of the
valley. II, on the other hand, the valley
has the shape of long, narrow trough, as,
indeed, most valleys have; then the chances
to get supply Of water from its deep laid
strata are the least towards its head and
greatest towards its mouth.
Again, when the average surface OF any
region has definite pitch or incline in any
one direction, then the greatest chance for
flowing wells will be found at the foot Of the
incline. So, as have before said when
calling your attention to the sout hern part Of
this State, the greatest probabilities in favor
Of ample flowing wells should be found in
that region. There are many mutual OBJ.
stacles "a the way Of realizing any theory oil
this Kind, which obstacles can only lie de.
veloped by the experiments.
In view Of the fact that the southern por
tions Of the State present at once the bes,
prospect for obtaining artesian water, and al
the same time are the driest parts, will prob.
ably afford the least chances for storing the
rainfall. would recommend that some ex.
periments be made at once by the State &c
ascertain if such conditions do exist to that
extent as to warrant a thorough trial Of ar
tesian borings in that region"
SENATOR STEWART has arrived al
Washington, and almos, immediately upon
his arrival there the question Of annexing 4
portion Of Idaho to Nevsda becomes one Of